2019 Champagne Adrien Renoir Le Cépage Blanc de Noirs

Entirely Pinot Noir, the 2019 Champagne Grand Cru Verzy Le Cepage is fleshy, with kirsch, yellow flowers, and orange peel, and is structured and dry, with savory salinity, grapefruit pith, and crushed rock. This is a wine that can hold up throughout a meal and be enjoyed over the next 10-15 years. Disgorged March 2022. Drink 2023-2038. Adrien Renoir works five hectares in the Grand Cru village of Verzy in the Montagne de Reims. He returned to his family estate in 2014 and took over from his father in 2015. His philosophy is to work with nature to respect the soil and the terroir. Only very small sulfur additions are added at the time of grape pressing, so malolactic fermentation is not blocked. The domaine has been certified organic since 2020, and it is likely that Adrien will begin the certification process for biodynamic practices next year. Grapes are harvested at high maturity levels, and only indigenous yeasts are used. Vinification and aging take place in various barrels, most of which are used (5% new). The wines see very low levels of dosage, typically between zero and three grams per liter. Adrien Renoir is producing expressive and vinous wines with fantastic energy and power.